Where are you drinking this fall?

The next few months offer a wealth of amazing opportunities to tip back a beer, so get off your couch and start making plans.

Now that the NFL season’s officially on (with a special bonus watching the Giants lose their season opener last night) I’m completely focused on Sunday’s game-and-beer lineup. This weekend, probably the most electrifying game will be in Denver, when Payton Manning suits up in Broncos gear to face the Steelers. If you’re in town and can’t get a ticket, head over to Strange Brewing, located a Hail Mary from the Denver stadium, and tip back a Strange Pale Ale while cheering (or booing) the Payton revival.

If college ball’s more your speed, don’t miss this year’s World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, when the Universities of Georgia and Florida collide at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 27. Tip: grab a growler of local Bold City Mad Manatee IPA for the pre-game.

Of course, football’s not for everyone (which is weird). If you’re looking for unadulterated beer celebration—beyond the obvious GABF next month—there are a few events coming up that might blow your mind. Mid-westerners get a double-dose of beer fun in October. Don’t miss Sun King Brewing Day in Indianapolis (Oct. 28), a day decreed by Indy Mayor Greg Ballard that’s sure to offer rare pours alongside year-rounds like Sunlight cream ale. North, in the Windy City, October brings us the release of Goose Island’s fifth installment in its Fulton & Wood series, Two More Weeks, a lambic aged in Zinfandel barrels, which you’ll find only at the brewery’s Clybourn Brewpub.

West Coasters, don’t feel left out. On Oct. 19 and 20, Elysian stages its annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival, with roughly 50 squash-spiked beers from breweries around the world. Don’t miss the Great Pumpkin, a tap filtered through an actual pumpkin.
On a side note: If you’re in San Francisco—anytime, really—swing by Dynamo Donuts, a gourmet doughnut shop that conjures up avant-garde confections like Molasses Guinness Pear doughnuts and other crazy creations, Cornmeal Rosemary Cherry and Saffron Chocolate to name a few.